Made To Grieve
by Intimidator1323
Summary: Their betrayal had taken everything from him. All that he loved was dead. He would grieve forever...but he would make sure he wouldn't do so alone.


Made To Grieve

By Intimidator1323

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Star Wars.

**Before we begin, I just want to apologize for not updating for so long, my Word subscription ran out and it took we awhile to get around to renewing it.**

**This is just an idea I recently came up with, involving the crossing over of my favorite ninja with my favorite cyborg in a story of pain, loss, and vengeance.**

**See for yourself!**

Chapter 1: The Beginning

_This is for the record._

_My name is…__**was**__ Naruto Uzumaki._

_Most people know me by another name, a name of both fame and infamy._

_Grievous._

_I write this so the people of the galaxy know the __**real**__ story behind my rise to power, instead of listening to rumors and tabloids._

_The first thing you should know is that I was once human._

_Hard to believe looking at me now._

_Most "experts" think I'm a former Kaleesh warlord who seeks vengeance against the jedi for past sins. My eye color and mask were inspired by the reptilian warrior race of Kalee but I'm not one of them nor was I born on the planet itself._

_I come from a world that you wouldn't find on a galactic map, in the Unknown Regions, a small, insignificant speck called Shinju in a system of the same name._

_Shinju is a very primitive world. The natives have yet to develop slugthrowers, let alone blaster technology._

_The humans, and some of the animals, of Shinju are able to use an internal energy source called chakra that is generated within their bodies. This energy can harnessed in various ways, allowing spectacular, and seemingly impossible, feats like generating fire, water, wind, earth, and lightning from their bodies and other various sources. Other abilities included, telepathy, superhuman strength, instantaneous transportation, cloning (something the galaxy is __**very**__ familiar with), and even walking on water. These techniques were called Jutsu's._

_Humans capable of these feats become warriors known as shinobi._

_The world is divided into nations named after various things. The five major nations are named after the basic elements: Fire, Earth, Water, Lightning, and Wind. The more numerous smaller nations are named after other, various things and are reliant on the larger nations for protection and support. Each of the five major nations, and several smaller ones, have one village that provides the military might of its nation and are led by it's strongest warrior. These are known as Hidden Villages'._

_The strongest of these villages are located within the five major nations._

_Earth had Iwagakure led by the Tsuchikage._

_Water had Kirigakure led by the Mizukage._

_Lightning had Kumogakure led by the Raikage._

_Wind had Sunagakure led by the Kazekage._

_Finally, Fire had Konohagakure led by the Hokage._

_Konohagakure._

_I name I will always hate with every ounce of my being._

_The reason for my disfigurement and torment._

_Worst of all, it is my former home._

_This is my story._

_I was born 75 galactic standard years ago in Konohagakure (also called Konoha for short). The day I was born, a monstrous beast known as the Kyuubi no Kitsune attacked the village. This beast made Krayt Dragons and Rancors look like docile house pets._

_The entire Jedi Order at full strength could fight it and the beast would still come out on top._

_The people of Shinju refer to it as a demon._

_Many shinobi tried to fight the creature off. Most of them were killed. When all hope seemed lost, the leader of the village, the Yondaime Hokage, arrived and used a strange technique that, at the cost of his life, sealed the ancient beast into a new born child._

_Me._

_The Yondaime, with his dying breath, asked, no, __**begged**__, his people to see me as a hero for, quite literally, saving their wretched lives._

_Despite the Yondaime being considered the biggest hero in their village's history and practically worshipped by the populace, his dying wish was spat upon._

_The Kyuubi was hated by the villagers because it killed so many of the people's loved ones and that hate was passed onto me._

_I was a living sacrifice used to seal an ancient horror inside of me so I could keep it at bay and keep everyone safe._

_I was repaid with nothing less than torture._

_Since the day I could walk, I was chased throughout the village and, when caught, was beaten to near death. On special occasions, the villagers would stab with daggers, swords, and/or broken glass bottles. They attempted to drown me twelve times. They crucified me twice, and, once, they even tried to bury me alive._

_A real fun bunch._

_I lived in an orphanage for the first four years of my life and the beatings happened a lot there; from both the staff __**and**__ the other orphans who were encouraged to do it._

_On my fourth birthday, the owner of that house of torture threw me out onto the streets._

_Out of the proverbial frying pan and into the proverbial fire._

_For the next six months I lived as a vagrant, fishing for food out of trash cans and dumpsters all while avoiding the vengeful villagers by hiding in alleyways and the sewers._

_Finally, after __**six months **__of being homeless, the idiotic village leader, the Sandaime Hokage, "conveniently" found somewhere I could live; a rodent infested apartment run by a landlord who hated me._

_The Sandaime._

_I used to look up to that waste of life like he was my grandfather. He was always so nice to me and sometimes bought me things, like food, seeing as how the villagers wouldn't sell me a damn thing and were more than willing to let me starve._

_I learned years later that he was only pretending to be nice to make me loyal to that petulant village. He always showed up to save me from the blood thirsty villagers, at the __**last**__**possible second**__, so that I would feel indebted to him._

_I'm glad he's dead. He deserved it._

_I only wish it had been slower and far more painful._

_There were others, however, that genuinely cared about me. There was Teuchi and Ayame Ichiraku, a father/daughter pair who owned a small food stand. They were always there for me, to give me food when I needed it. Teuchi was like a father to me and Ayame was like the older sister I never had._

_I miss them._

_I miss being able to eat at their stand._

_I miss __**eating**__ really._

_There was also Iruka Umino, he was like an older brother to me. He taught students at the shinobi academy and was the only instructor that was fair to me._

_He always stood up for me._

_The last was a shy girl who was my age; Hinata Hyuuga. She came from a prestigious clan who had eyes capable of seeing across vast distances and even thorough objects and people. Hinata always stuttered around me and was a nervous, low-confidence wreck. Because she was the daughter of the clan head and the heir to the clan, her father and her clan pushed her passed her limits to make her the "Perfect Hyuuga". Hinata was kind, to kind for the clan, and so her father mistreated her and made her younger sister, Hanabi, the heir. I comforted her during this dark time and made it my duty to make her smile everyday. Her friendship with me, unfortunately, made her even more isolated from her "family". She didn't care. She enjoyed spending time with me and I with her._

_Since all my life all I've ever known is violence, I decided to become a shinobi._

_The instructors there made sure they did nothing to help me, I always got in trouble for asking questions when I needed help and they made sure to ask me questions that were impossible for me, or anyone my age, to answer._

_The other children laughed at me._

_I hated them, the teachers and students._

_Aside from Hinata, I had no other friends my age. Their parents made sure that the other kids isolated and made fun of me._

_The Sandaime Hokage passed a law to make sure that no one could tell the younger generation that I held the Kyuubi inside of me, but the children followed their parents' example, calling me "demon", "monster", and "freak"._

_Even __**I**__ didn't know about the Kyuubi._

_Aside from the Ichiraku's, Iruka, Hinata, and the Sandaime, I hated everyone in that village._

_I was just too dense to realize or admit it._

_I had to dumb myself down as a child. If I showed any form of intelligence or skill, the villagers would believe the "demon" was "showing it's true colors"._

_So I hid behind the mask of a cheerful idiot who loved pranking people, the only sort of revenge I could have on anyone._

_I was truly stupid in one way though._

_I wanted the villagers love and respect._

_I would shout on and on and on about how I would be Hokage one day and protect the village and its people with my life._

_The people never would have accepted me._

_I realized that far too late._

_I had believed my own lie._

_I attended the shinobi academy and failed three times because of sabotage from the instructors and because I couldn't control the immense chakra inside of me._

_When I was twelve years old, after my third failure, I became desperate. So desperate, in fact, that I was foolish enough to trust an academy instructor named Mizuki. He told me that if I stole the Forbidden Scroll of Sealing (a sacred document of the village) and learn one jutsu within it, I would graduate and become a shinobi._

_I foolishly agreed._

_I stole the scroll (which was easy despite its importance) and went to meet with Mizuki. I succeeded and learned one jutsu._

_I will not mention it's name. I am ashamed to have used __**any**__ form of shinobi technique._

_I __**hate**__ shinobi of any and all age and rank._

_More so then jedi._

_After I learned the technique I was confronted by Iruka and we were then attacked by Mizuki. Mizuki hated me as much as the others and used me to steal the forbidden scroll for his own purposes. He nearly killed Iruka and revealed to me the truth about my connection to the Kyuubi._

_I was stunned. It all made sense. I finally learned why I was hated._

_Iruka told me I wasn't a monster and that I only held the Kyuubi at bay. In retaliation I for Mizuki's attack on Iruka I used the technique I learned to defeat the traitor._

_Iruka then gave me his protective headband, a sign of being a shinobi, and told me I had graduated._

_That was one of the happiest moments of my life._

_It didn't last._

_As in most militaries, shinobi are distinguished by rank. All start out as Genin, learners who are placed with two other genin under a mentor, also called a "sensei". Next are Chunin, those who are no longer apprentices and can act both independently or in teams. Jonin are the veteran shinobi who are often tasked with taking a team of genin under their wing. Anbu are the spec ops of the shinobi world and are the best of the best. The highest rank any shinobi can reach is Kage, the title of the strongest and most respected warrior of the village and it's leader._

_My Jonin senesi was Kakashi Hatake._

_I hated that man._

_He was incompetent and foolish. He believed that "those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash". He stood by that pathetic motto his entire life._

_But he never honored it._

_My teammates were also idiots._

_Sasuke Uchiha. He was born into a prestigious clan that was wiped out by his older brother Itachi Uchiha. Sasuke was the only survivor._

_A real shame the genocide wasn't finished there and then._

_Anyway, Sasuke was driven entirely by revenge and would step on anyone to achieve it. Everyone around him was just a means to an end to him. As the last survivor of his clan, the villagers praised and spoiled him, fearing he would leave the village and restart his clan in a rival village if they didn't keep him happy. This made him unbearably arrogant. He had hordes of women, of all ages, that wanted to bear his children._

_He ignored them all. They were just distractions to him and not worth his time._

_Sakura Haruno, my other teammate, was one of the girls that chased Sasuke. Sakura was a whore, plain and simple, without ever having touched a man. She was an embarrassment to warriors throughout the galaxy. She spent more time making herself look pretty as possible for her "true love" than actually training. Though it shames me to admit it, I was once in love with this pink haired harlot. I would have done anything for her. All she ever did was hit me and call me a loser._

_Of course, I'm not afraid to admit I had more than a few flaws myself back then; overconfidence, impatience, and my loud and cheerful personality, among other things._

_We were the worst shinobi team of all time. Sasuke believed Sakura and I were dead weight and didn't want to work with us. Sakura was only interested in helping Sasuke. Kakashi humiliated us during our test to become a part of his team._

_We only barely passed._

_Kakashi only focused on training Sasuke because a relative of the fool was a deceased friend of the jonin and thought he owed him._

_So much for comrades._

_After a series of useless missions that are too pathetic to be mentioned, we received a mission to protect a bridge builder named Tazuna. The bridge builder lied about the job and we ended up fighting a rogue shinobi named Zabuza Momochi, who was far more skilled than us, and eventually brought down a corrupt business empire that was oppressing the people of Wave Country, Tazuna's homeland. The old man was building a bridge to connect the mainland in order to escape the oppression of the corporation's oppression and Zabuza was hired to kill him so that it wouldn't be finished._

_During the mission I met a girl named Haku. She worked for Zabuza, though I didn't know it at the time. _

_She was beautiful._

_A goddess among mortals._

_My heart nearly stopped when I saw her smile._

_During our meeting, she told me that defending those precious to you was the greatest purpose for any warrior._

_That lesson will stay with me for as long as I live._

_During the final battle, a disguised Haku used her bloodline of ice manipulation and nearly killed Sasuke and I, believing the fool was my friend, unleashed the Kyuubi's power in anger and defeated Haku. When she revealed her face, I couldn't believe it. She told me how she was born in Water Country, where people with bloodlines are considered abominations and were hunted to near extinction. Her ice bloodline came from her mother who kept it a secret from her father, who was strongly in favor of the eradication of the "bloodline freaks". When Haku, as a little girl, unlocked her bloodline, and her mother made her promise not to tell her father._

_But it was too late; he saw what his daughter was capable and was able to connect the dots._

_That night, a mob of anti-bloodline supporters, led by Haku's father, Butchered Haku's mother without remorse. When he was about to murder Haku, she unconsciously used her ice to defend herself, killing her attackers. Haku was homeless and alone for awhile after that, until Zabuza found her. He took her under his wing and she became his willing servant. Zabuza was everything to her and, having failed to defeat me, believed she had failed him._

_She begged me to kill her._

_I refused; I simply could not do it_

_She had done nothing wrong._

_She cried and continued to beg but I still could not do it._

_I decided to render her unconscious instead and pretended to agree to her request. Before I could do so, however, she just…ran off!_

_It turns out Kakashi was delivering a lethal blow to finish Zabuza off and she took the blow instead._

_Haku died to save the person most important to her._

_A small piece of my soul died with her._

_It took me years to realize that I loved Haku. She was one of two people to be able to touch my heart._

_I still love her to this day and wished it was me who had died instead._

_She deserved life more than I._

_Zabuza was then betrayed by his employer, a pitiful excuse for human life called Gato, the corrupt business tycoon who had enslaved Wave Country, and tried to have his mercenaries kill him. When he taunted Zabuza about Haku, the rogue shinobi flew into a frenzy._

_I'll never forget the carnage of that day. Zabuza's arms were rendered useless during his fight with Kakashi, but he was able to carve his way through Gato's mercenaries with only a knife between his teeth._

_It was beautiful._

_Zabuza killed Gato but the mercenaries brought him down. The thugs were enraged that their "meal ticket" was dead, meaning they would not be paid. They planned to raid the village of Wave when the people of Wave (strangely inspired by my bravery), led by the bridge builder's grandson Inari, stood up for themselves. The thugs fled, knowing they were outnumbered._

_Wave Country was free._

_As Zabuza lay dying, he asked to be next to Haku when it happened. He believed he and Haku were meant for entirely different afterlives and apologized to her for not being able to save her._

_Somehow, I knew those two would meet again in the next life and for that I'm glad._

_It started to snow after that, a rarity in that part of Shinju. It was almost as if the heavens were mourning their deaths._

_I buried Haku and Zabuza next to each other under a lone tree in Wave._

_I will never forget them. Those two will always inspire me take life seriously and live it to the fullest. Even a life like mine._

_Weeks later, Tazuna completed his bridge and the people of Wave named it "The Great Naruto Bridge" in my honor. It wasn't my idea and it would be many years before I learned of the name._

_It's too bad I no longer answer to that name._

_My "team" and I returned to Konoha after that and life went on._

_Kakashi nominated us to take part in the Chunin Exams, a series of tests that all shinobi nations took part in that acted as a rite of passage for those seeking to rise in rank._

_Compared to most warrior races in the galaxy, it was nothing. To the people of Shinju, however, it was a grueling test._

_I was no exception._

_The first exam was a written test of nearly impossible questions that was actually meant to test our information gathering skills, seeing if we could cheat without being caught. Unfortunately I had no skills of the sort. The instructor told us that if anyone refused to take the last question the entire person's team would be disqualified. But if we take the last question and answer incorrectly, we would be banned from taking the exam ever again, thus ensuring we would never rise in rank._

_A few cowards left. If they weren't willing to risk it all, they didn't deserve to call themselves warriors._

_For those that remained, like myself, the last question was only a test to see if we were ready to risk everything._

_And we passed._

_The second exam was a survival test where each team would be released into a forest filled with dangerous wildlife._

_The forest itself was called the "Forest of Death"._

_Back then I was afraid, but now?_

_I've seen __**far**__ worse._

_Each team was given a scroll one that either said Heaven or Earth. The goal was to take out the other teams until we acquired the opposite scroll (we were not told which teams had which scroll). After obtaining the scrolls, we were to head to the large tower at the center of the forest, thereby completing the exam. The only other rules were that all of our team had to survive the trip to the tower (if even one of us died, or was too injured to continue, we would be disqualified) and we were not to open the scrolls until we reached the tower. _

_There was also a five day time limit._

_Soon after the test began, I was separated from my teammates by a disgusting creature that called itself a man._

_Orochimaru._

_Ghost white skin and yellow snake-like eyes, fangs, and an extremely long tongue adorned this evil, gender-confused creature._

_He was a rouge shinobi, and once a student of the Sandaime before being forced out of Konoha for the sick experiments he conducted on the populous in order to discover the secret to immortality. Now, years later, he had returned for two purposes; one: destroy Konoha and two: acquire Sasuke's bloodline._

_My idiotic male teammate possessed a bloodline, which allowed the user to observe any technique or fighting style and copy down to the last detail._

_Truly, a more disgusting and dishonorable bloodline there never was._

_Orochimaru had a strong affinity with snakes, which allowed him to control them. He sent a large one after me that swallowed me whole_

_I tore my way out._

_By the time I returned, Orochimaru had taken our scroll was toying with my "teammates". Sakura was too petrified to move and Sasuke had begged the Snake Man to let him live._

_I secretly reveled in that moment and enjoyed watching him tremble like the child he was._

_To this day, I often think of that moment when I'm having a bad day. It always cheers me up, despite my depressing existence._

_When I used the Kyuubi's chakra to fight him, Orochimaru used a technique that screwed up my chakra control and rendered me unconscious. After that Orochimaru planted a "Curse Seal" on Sasuke as a "gift"._

_The Curse Seal allowed the person who is marked with it to access incredible power, if the person survives the seal being placed upon them._

_There was only a one-in-ten chance of surviving._

_Too bad Sasuke was that one._

_Sakura kept our unconscious bodies safe from an attack from Orochimaru's henchmen and we were able to acquire both the needed scrolls in order to advance a few days later._

_Iruka greeted us after we arrived at the tower in order to congratulate us on our success. He told us that that the Earth Scroll represented physical strength while the Heaven Scroll represented mental strength._

_You need both to become a successful shinobi, a successful warrior._

_A wise, if painfully obvious, policy._

_After arriving at the tower, it was revealed that there were too many passing teams for the exam and we had to fight each other in a preliminary tournament in order to see who would pass on to the third exam._

_Most of the battles I saw were boring now that I think about it._

_The worst was Sakura vs. her former best friend and rival for Sasuke's affections, Ino Yamanaka. The battle was pathetic, it was more than thirty minutes of two whores taunting and hitting each other._

_Fight ended in a damn tie._

_What a waste of my day that was._

_My battle was against Kiba Inuzuka and his puppy Akamaru. Kiba was from a clan that specialized in tracking and had a strong affinity with dogs, each clan member is given one at a certain age that becomes their lifelong companion. When I think about Kiba, three words come to my mind: "what an ass". He prided himself as the "Alpha Male" of Konoha and bragged about his strength and styled himself as a "Lady's Man"._

_Right._

_Kiba got along with women like I get along with jedi._

_If Kiba was a "Lady's Man" then I'm the Grand Master of the Jedi Council._

_What I hated most about him, though, was his constant lust for Hinata, his teammate. He asked her time and time again to go out with him and she politely rejected him each time._

_I had a feeling that, if he got the chance, he would have raped her._

_Disgusting creature._

_Kiba hated the fact that I spent a lot of time with Hinata and was always trying to sabotage the time I had with her._

_He did not succeed._

_The fight was brutal, and it was two against one, but I was able to win, much to the Dog Boy's chagrin._

_The fight directly after that has been scarred into my memory._

_Hinata Hyuuga vs. her cousin Neji Hyuuga._

_Neji hated Hinata and almost killed her. I cheered Hinata on and was amazed when she kept standing back up after being knocked down again and again. Neji would have killed her if the examiners hadn't stopped the fight. I went to Hinata's side to make sure she was okay. She barely survived. I yelled at Neji and he brushed me off, saying "She was fated to lose"._

_I took Hinata's blood in my hand and swore to make the pompous fool pay._

_The only other fight worth mentioning is the battle between Rock Lee and Sabaku no Gaara._

_Lee was hyperactive shinobi who, like me, graduated at the bottom of his class. Lee suffered from a strange and rare illness that prevented him from using chakra. Without it, he was forced to rely entirely on strength, speed, and hand-to-hand combat._

_I once thought he was honorable, but he proved to be scum like the rest._

_Gaara, on the other hand, is someone I can relate to on many levels. He was a shinobi from Sunagakure and, like me, had a horrible beast sealed within him._

_The Ichibi no Shukaku._

_While only possessing a fraction of what the Kyuubi was capable of, the Ichibi was still a powerful force. It gives it's host the ability to bend sand to their will, using it to crush opponents and as a protective shield that acts as an automatic defense._

_A shield so strong that Gaara had never felt physical pain before in his life._

_Gaara was the youngest child of the Yondaime Kazekage, a truly greedy and evil man. He allowed his wife to die bringing Gaara into the world by sealing the Ichibi within him. He intended, as the Sandaime planned for me, for Gaara to be Suna's ultimate weapon. Gaara was alienated by the villagers as much as I was and only found solace and love in his maternal uncle, Yashamaru. Gaara hated his father and defied him on a regular basis. The Kazekage soon saw his son as a threat to his village and, more importantly, to his power and ordered him to be assassinated on several different occasions._

_The last occasion was something that nearly destroyed Gaara's humanity._

_Yashamaru tried to kill Gaara, but was dealt a lethal blow. When Gaara asked why, Yashamaru said it was because he hated Gaara for his sister's death. He told Gaara that he never loved him. He had volunteered to kill Gaara for the Kazekage. Yashamaru then attempted to kill his nephew by using several explosives attached to his body. Gaara's sand protected him, however, and after that a devastated Gaara vowed to live only for himself._

_Yashamaru's actions cost Gaara his sanity and he became a homicidal killer._

_Gaara had a very similar life to mine, hated for something he couldn't control._

_The people I cared about saved my sanity, but now…I am almost __**exactly**__ what Gaara once was._

_Konoha made sure of that._

_Back to the fight, Lee was fast enough to hit Gaara but not strong enough to bring him down. Gaara crippled Lee and it was only the intervention by Lee's mentor, Might Guy, that saved his life._

_After the battles were over, each of the victors drew a number from a box that would show who would fight who and in what order. As luck would have it, I ended up fighting in the first match against Neji._

_We were given one month to train and prepare for the final exam._

_When I went to visit Hinata in the hospital, I ran into Kakashi and asked him to train me for the finals. Kakashi said no because he was "busy" training Sasuke, who would be fighting Gaara. He didn't even give me any advice._

_I think that was the day I started hating my "sensei"; when he clearly put aside everyone else to play favorites._

_I would soon come to hate him, and everyone else in Konoha, even more._

_Kakashi did, however, pair me up with a different mentor, Ebisu._

_When I first met Ebisu, he was the incompetent mentor of the Sandaime's grandson, Konohamaru._

_Ah, Konohamaru. I love that kid and his friends Udon and Moegi like they were my brothers and sister._

_Konohamaru no longer answers to his birth name anymore, like myself._

_I met Ebisu and Konohamaru during a meeting with the Sandaime, soon after graduating. When Kono (my old nickname for him) began mouthing off at me, I knocked him out. Ebisu yelled at me for that and I told him to shove off and left. Kono then began stalking me throughout the village and declared himself my rival. I had a special…technique that required no physical contact with your opponent and was very useful against the old Kage (and most other men) that he wanted me to teach him. I taught him as best I could and he told me he liked me because I treated him like a normal person, not like the Sandaime's grandson, an amount of attention that would normally be bestowed upon royalty. Ebisu then confronted us and demanded that leave the "honorable grandson" alone. When he tried to drag Kono away I defeated him with the…technique I was teaching despite the fact that Ebisu was a jonin. Konohamaru then claimed that he was going to compete with me for the title of Hokage._

_We both know how useless that title is now._

_From that experience, I learned that Ebisu was a terrible teacher and was the most incompetent human being I had ever met._

_And I was being paired with him._

_Oh joy._

_He took pride in tormenting me, making me try to walk on boiling hot water and laughed when I fell in._

_He told me the boiling water was "incentive" to succeed._

_Slime rat._

_We were doing this at the village's Hotsprings when Ebisu encountered a strange man…__**spying**__ on the women's side of the spring. When Ebisu attempted to stop the strange man, a large toad came out of nowhere and knocked the imbecile unconscious._

_The Toad Man performed a ridiculous dance and shouted an overexagerated introduction proclaiming himself to be __Jiraiya the Toad Sage._

_Man belonged in a damn asylum._

_Since he rendered my "sensei" unable to continue training me, I pestered him all day until he finally agreed to train me._

_Jiraiya revealed to me that he was a student of the Sandaime and the former teammate of Orochmaru. He also told me he was the Yondaime Hokage's mentor._

_He demanded respect constantly. I called him Ero-Sennin (perverted sage) because he wrote adult novels, spied on women for "research" for said novels, and, most importantly, because I had no respect for him at all._

_My title for him infuriated him to no end._

_I still get a kick out of remembering the look on his face._

_Despite being a deranged lunatic, Jiraiya was able to undo what Orochimaru had done to me and fixed my chakra control._

_After he taught me water walking, he taught me about Summoning._

_Summoning is the act of calling forth an object or animal, depending on the contract, from vast distances and having them aid you in battle. All you had to do was sign a contract, in blood, with the summons in question, make the proper handseals and give a little bit of blood._

_Jiraiya allowed me to sign the toad contract and showed me how to summon._

_I was terrible at it._

_Despite my best efforts, I could only summon tadpoles._

_After several days of failure, Jiraiya came up with the bright idea of shoving me off of a damn cliff, hoping that the fear of death would allow me to use enough power to summon something large enough to save me._

_It was in that moment that I first met the Kyuubi._

_I was somehow pulled into my own subconscious, where the beast was locked behind a large cage. The beast ranted on about how I was inferior to it and asked why it should help me._

_My answer was simple, "if I die, you die."_

_It was pathetic really. The mightiest creature on the planet was afraid of death._

_The beast, reluctantly, gave me a small amount of its chakra and I used it to summon the leader of the toads._

_Gamabunta._

_The toad was larger than a Gorog._

_The old told assumed Jiraiya had summoned him and laughed at the idea that I could have done it._

_When I mouthed off at the toad chief, he threatened to kill me and I quickly shut up. He said that __**I**__ would serve __**him**__ and that he would only help me when I was able to share a drink with him (I don't pretend to understand how that makes sense)._

_I expected to gain willing toad servants and instead I became the henchman._

_Not the proudest moment of my life._

_The month came and went and the day of the third exam had arrived. It was held in a large arena in the village that was built for these occasions._

_Neji and I were the first combatants._

_I could tell the audience was hoping I would die._

_They were disappointed to say the least._

_I learned a few things about Neji Hyuuga that day. One: he was nothing but a little daddy's boy pitching a fit because he didn't get what he wanted. Two: he was angry with Hinata because her father had sacrificed his twin brother (Neji's father) in order to appease Kumogakure after they failed to abduct Hinata as a child (I don't understand it either). The sacrifice was supposed to be Hinata's father but they used his twin in order to fool Kumo. Three: Neji was a part of the Hyuuga "Branch Family" who were basically slaves to the Hyuuga "Main Family", which Hinata was a part of. Finally: Neji believed __**way**__ too much in fate and destiny (far more than any jedi I've ever met, which is saying something) and believed it was fate that would declare him the winner of our match._

_I responded by calling him a fool and claimed what I __**knew**__ to be true; people decide their own destinies._

_Both comments had the desired effect, Neji became furious and we fought. Neji had the upper hand at first but, in the end, I was the victor. He couldn't believe he had lost and was forced to admit he was wrong and came to believe that fate is nonexistent._

_For a short time._

_Sasuke had shown up just in time for his match after an incredibly long wait. He inherited Kakashi's horrible lateness, apparently. The Hokage wouldn't cancel the match because many wealthy nobles had come to watch "The Last Uchiha" fight._

_Idiots._

_Before Sasuke's arrival, I saw Gaara slaughter a group of thugs that tried to prevent him from fighting in the exam._

_I warned Kakashi not to let Sasuke compete, declaring that neither of them had any idea what they were dealing with._

_Kakashi, idiotic as ever, ignored me._

_Sasuke had become faster and was able to pierce Garra's Sand Shield with a technique that allowed him cover his arm in lightning which created a blade that could cut through anything._

_I will not mention the techniques name. It was created by Kakashi, a shinobi._

_Disgusting creatures, all of them._

_Sasuke managed to pierce Gaara's arm with the technique and made Gaara bleed for first time in his life._

_Things then went from bad to worse._

_Sasuke's attack had angered Gaara and partially unleashed the Ichibi._

_At that precise moment, almost everyone in the audience, including myself, was put to sleep by a powerful illusion._

_I awoke sometime later to find that village was under attack from Sunagakure and Otogakure, the village Orochimaru had founded. The snake himself had disguised himself as the Yondaime Kazekage (whom he had killed) and was currently fighting the Hokage while Sasuke had taken off after Gaara._

_I was sent to provide Sasuke with back up. I got to Sasuke just in time to save his pathetic life. I fought Gaara and almost won when he transformed into the full size Ichibi._

_Only by Summoning Gamabunta was I able to escape certain death. After a little bit of convincing, the toad boss agreed to help me. Gamabunta was more than a match for Gaara at first, but things got out of control when Gaara let Ichibi possess him completely by entering a forced sleep. The giant toad admitted he wouldn't be able to defeat the beast at full power, so we hatched a plan that allowed me to get close enough to wake Gaara up, breaking his beast's control over him and ending the fight._

_After the fight, I convinced Gaara that protecting others was the key to true strength. Gaara would change over time and regain his sanity and humanity because of this. Gaara then left with his teammates/siblings Kankuro and Temari._

_The invasion of Konoha was a failure and Suna and Oto were forced to flee with Suna eventually suing for peace after the revelation that Orochimaru had murdered and impersonated their Kage. The Sandaime sacrificed his life to cripple Orochimaru's arms, preventing him from using any jutsu. The snake, unfortunately, escaped._

_A large funeral was held for the Sandaime. Everyone mourned him, even me._

_When I look back on the funeral, now that I know what the old man's real intentions were, all I can think is "good riddance"._

_I only regret that he didn't live long enough so that I could make him suffer more._

_After the funeral, the village needed a new leader. Jiraiya, being one of the strongest shinobi in the village, was a candidate but declined. The only other candidate was Jiraiya's other teammate, Tsunade Senju. Tsunade was, possibly, the best medic on Shinju, her skills being legendary. She also could control her chakra to such a point that she could utilize it as monstrous, superhuman strength._

_Jiraiya and I were tasked with finding her and bringing her back so she could become the new Hokage._

_On the way there, we encountered two…interesting individuals who dressed in black cloaks with red clouds._

_One looked like a humanoid shark and held a huge sword._

_He was Kisame Hoshigaki._

_The other resembled an older Sasuke._

_He was Sasuke's brother Itachi Uchiha, the man Sasuke swore revenge upon._

_They had come for me._

_Or, to be more precise, the beast that was sealed within me._

_Before I could react, Sasuke arrived unexpectedly and attacked Itachi in a blind rage but was easily defeated._

_They were about to grab me when Jiraiya finally decided to show up and forced them to retreat._

_I later learned that they were part of an organization called the Akatsuki, but the sage wouldn't give me anymore information._

_We traveled for days until we found our quarry inside a bar in some no-name village accompanied by her apprentice, Shizune, and her pet pig Tonton (bizarre, to say the least)._

_Though I hate even now to admit it, but when I first saw Tsunade, I was rendered breathless by her beauty. She was supposedly in her late 50's or early 60's, but she looked no older than 25._

_Behind that angelic face, however, was a woman of greed and selfishness._

_Her appearance was caused by a powerful illusion that she kept active at all times. When asked to take the position of Hokage, she declined, saying it was a fool's job._

_That comment made me lose my temper._

_Becoming Hokage was my dream._

_Was._

_Now, I realize she was right for once in her pathetic life._

_I fought with her outside and she defeated me with one finger._

_I tried to use a technique during the fight that Jiraiya was teaching me at the time._

_The technique was…no, I won't say it._

_I won't repeat the name of a technique created by shinobi slime._

_The effort failed and, after more arguing, the old hag made a bet with me, saying that if I mastered the technique by the end of the week she would give me her necklace, which was apparently very valuable, and would take all of my money if I couldn't._

_I agreed._

_While I practiced, Shizune approached me and asked me to back out of the bet. She told me how the necklace was "cursed" and how it killed Tsunade's younger brother, Nawaki, and her lover, Dan, soon after she had given it to them. Both of them had wanted to be Hokage, so Tsunade blamed the position for her suffering._

_Pathetic. Only a fool blames a __**concept, **__like fate or bad luck, for their pain._

_Her brother and lover died for two reasons: one; they were at the wrong place at the wrong time and two; they were weak._

_Shizune made Tsunade out as some poor, unfortunate, soul, still weeping over the loss of her loved ones._

_Like no one had felt more pain than her._

_Bah! She knew nothing of pain. I would have given anything to have lived her life._

_She wouldn't have lasted one day in my life, then or now._

_She thought she knew grief?_

_The grief I feel everyday feels like it's trying to kill me._

_Obviously, I didn't back out and continued training. At the end of the week, I learned that Tsunade was going to meet Orochimaru. In exchange for healing his crippled arms, he would return her loved ones to life with a special technique he knew._

_Disgusting. The dead should be left to rest._

_Tsunade turned the offer down and attacked the snake and his right hand, Kabuto Yakushi._

_In my opinion, it was the only smart decision she had ever made in her life._

_Kabuto defeated her by utilizing her fear of blood._

_Pathetic._

_What kind of medic suffers from hemophobia?_

_Jiraiya, Shizune, and I arrived in time to save her. Jiraiya faced off with Orochimaru while I took on Kabuto._

_I was barely able to win that fight with the, now completed, technique I had learned._

_I passed out after that and awoke to find that we had been victorious, although both foes escaped._

_I, apparently, had inspired Tsunade to actually take up responsibility and become Hokage. We headed home after that._

_With my new necklace in tow._

_After that little trip, I had several other adventures in the months following, like defeating a rogue shinobi who wielded a sword of lightning and saving a princess from a faraway kingdom._

_Then, everything was ruined by one idiot's decision._

_Sasuke, apparently insanely jealous that I had beaten Gaara when he couldn't, willingly left the village with Orochimaru's elite guard to defect to the snake's side, believing the chalk-colored-skinned filth could give him the power he needed to kill his brother._

_In truth, Orochimaru was going to use a special jutsu to transfer his consciousness into Sasuke's body, thereby taking control of it and acquiring his bloodline._

_That couldn't happen._

_A special team was assembled to chase down and retrieve Sasuke, with myself being a member of that team._

_Before we left, Sakura approached me and made me promise to bring Sasuke back._

_She begged and cried._

_Pathetic._

_Nevertheless, I promised her I would, mostly due to my infatuation with her._

_We tracked Orochimaru's henchmen over several days and were able to catch up to them. Each member of our team stayed behind to face off against one of the elite guards. Some were able to win; others were on the brink of defeat when Gaara and his siblings arrived to save them._

_Finally, it was down to me and Sasuke._

_We fought a titanic battle on a historic monument. Sasuke used his curse seal and I used the Kyuubi's chakra._

_It was close, but I emerged victorious._

_As I dragged Sasuke back to Konoha, I imagined the people cheering for me and calling me a hero while Sakura ran into my arms and we kissed passionately at my success._

_My delusion turned out to be just that, a delusion._

_Upon arrival, Sasuke was taken to the hospital, while was beaten viciously by a mob of angry villagers who claimed I had attempted to kill their precious Uchiha._

_I woke up in a cell. It turned out I was to be put on trial for the attempted murder of Sasuke Uchiha._

_I expected my "friends" and "comrades" to save me._

_I was wrong._

_Each of them came to visit me and taunted me calling me a demon and a freak, saying I deserved to die, that it was only __**good**__ thing I could do for the village._

_Apparently, they were told about the Kyuubi._

_My "trial" was a farce; __**all**__ were in favor of execution, including Tsunade._

_That bitch. She came to my cell and ripped off my necklace, the necklace __**I**__ won through __**my**__ blood, __**my**__ sweat, and __**my**__ victory._

_She then proceeded to reveal the Sandaime's intentions of making me into a living weapon of the village and told me an even more shocking fact._

_I was the son of the Yondaime Hokage. My own__** father**__ sentenced me to hell!_

_It was then I learned the most shocking truth of all; my mother was still alive! Not only was she alive, but I had an sister, a year older than myself, as well!_

_Both of them abandoned me the second the Kyuubi was sealed into me and left the village for parts unknown._

_To rub more salt on the wound, Tsunade then revealed that she and Jiraiya were __**supposed**__ to be my godparents but had abandoned me, wallowing in their own greed and self-pity._

_After that it was revealed that I would be executed immediately._

_I remember that day._

_I can't forget it, no matter how hard I try._

_The betrayal was bad…but something even worse happened._

_Something that has been forever burned into my mind._

_An event that will haunt me forever._

**Flashback**

Naruto Uzumaki was tied to a stake at the village center. At his feet were lumber and straw, while he was covered in oil.

He was to be burned alive.

He heard Tsunade reading off his crimes and punishment, but he didn't listen.

He was in shock.

How did it come to this?

All he ever did was try to help.

All he ever wanted was to be accepted, to be loved.

And yet, **this** was his just reward?!

"…and so, on this day, Naruto Uzumaki is to be burned alive for treason and attempted murder" he heard Tsunade finish as the crowd cheered.

She nodded to a shinobi with a torch nearby ready to ignite the stake.

But then something unexpected happened.

Naruto heard a voice.

"NARUTO-KUN!"

He looked up to see none other than Hinata Hyuuga rush through the crowd trying to reach him. Several shinobi tried to stop her, but were disabled by a few, well placed palm strikes.

This brought Naruto out of his shock.

He'd never seen her this strong and determined before.

Hinata finally made her way to the stage and struck the torch bearing guard in the chest. The man was dead before he hit the ground.

"Hinata? What are you doing?" Naruto asked in shock.

"I'm saving you" she said without any hint of a stutter.

"Why?" the blonde asked.

"Because you were always there for me, you were always at my side! I don't care if you contain the Kyuubi! Naruto-kun, I lov-!"

Hinata was interrupted by a sword piercing her from behind, right through her chest.

As Hinata fell, Naruto saw the lavender-eyed girls attacker.

Hiashi Hyuuga.

Hinata's father.

"HINATA! NO!" Naruto shouted.

Hiashi looked down on Hinata, "That is the fate of traitors to the clan" he said darkly.

Hinata, with her last ounce of strength, crawled closer to Naruto.

"Naruto…kun" she said weakly, "I…I…love…you…"

And with those last words Hinata Hyuuga was no more.

"No…no…" Naruto whispered weakly.

"Don't be sad _demon_" Hiashi said with disgust, "you'll be joining her soon enough!"

Naruto looked up at Hiashi with undying hate in his eyes.

"I"LL KILL YOU!" he screamed as loud as he could while struggling to get free, "I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU! I"LL KILL YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR CHILDREN! I'LL TEAR OUT YOUR BLACK HEARTS AND BATHE IN YOUR BLOOD!" he vowed.

Hiashi smirked and picked up the still lit torch, "No demon" he said calmly, "All you will do…is **die**."

And then he tossed the torch onto the stake.

**Flashback End**

_I cried out as I burned, still shouting my vow about making them suffer._

_The fire burned on and on…but it was not nearly as painful as Hinata's death._

_I then realized that I loved Hinata just as I loved Haku._

_I still do._

_Her death destroyed what was left of my heart and soul._

_That was the day Naruto Uzumaki died._

_That was the day __Grievous was born._

_I'm not sure how long I burned before I fell into unconsciousness. It could have been minutes, hours, even days for all I knew._

_I didn't know…or care._

_I must have been pronounced dead, because my charred corpse was dumped miles away from the village walls for scavenger's._

_But I didn't die like they thought._

_I was found by three people._

_Two intended me harm but the other…would lead me to my future._

**Flashback**

All was quiet in a forest in Fire Country.

In the forest there was a small clearing and, lying in the center, was what was left of Naruto Uzumaki.

The fire had burned him beyond recognition.

He was little more than charred piece of meat now.

Surrounding him were a small group of crows. They were picking off small pieces of flesh off the boy's body.

The silence was broken as the trees rustled and two figures landed in the clearing, causing the crows to flee.

The taller of the two was holding a large, bandaged sword on his back, had blue skin, gills on his face and shark-like teeth.

The other was a young man in his 20's and had glowing red eyes.

Both wore black cloaks with red clouds on them.

They were Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha, members of the mysterious Akatsuki organization.

"There he is" Itachi pointed at the charred corpse of Naruto Uzumaki.

"I can see that" Kisame said in an annoyed tone, "but would you look at him! There's no way he could have survived! Even with the Kyuubi!"

Itachi looked up at his partner, "We were told to find Naruto Uzumaki and, if he is alive, to bring him back to base."

"I know that" Kisame said, "but how could anyone survive that?"

Itachi didn't answer and instead walked over to the remains and placed his index and middle finger on the boy's throat. At first he felt nothing, then he felt it, faint, but it was there.

"I feel a pulse" Itachi stated, "He's alive, but only barely."

Kisame whistled, "Damn! You gotta be one tough son of bitch to survive that!"

"Agreed" Itachi said simply, "grab him so we can go."

But before any of them could move, a new voice spoke.

"I'm afraid that I cannot allow that."

Both rogue ninja looked up and saw the owner of the voice walk into the clearing.

He was a tall, elderly man with white hair and beard who stood as if he were royalty. He wore an expensive looking tunic, cape, and boots and spoke with great refinement.

"Who the hell are you?" Kisame asked rudely.

"Ah, of course. Where are my manners? Count Dooku at your service" the said before bowing politely.

"O-kaay…" Kisame said, confused by the strange man before him.

"What do you want?" Itachi asked.

Dooku grinned and pointed, "The boy lying at your feet of course."

"The Kyuubi brat? Why?" Kisame asked.

"The Force has shown me a vision of a warrior on this world who will come to change the history of the galaxy" he explained, "My master and I believe he will make a valuable…_asset_ for our future goals."

"'The Force'?" Kisame asked, "What the hell is that?"

Dooku chuckled, "I believe the proper question is 'what _isn't_ the Force'?"

This answer confused them even more.

"Who is your master?" Itachi asked, "Perhaps we could…"

"I'm afraid my master isn't one that can be bargained with by _your kind_" the Count interrupted Itachi's proposition, "I came here for the boy and I **will** be leaving with him."

"Hate to break it too ya old man" Kisame began, "but he's coming with **us**!"

"Indeed" Itachi added, "we have a mission that we cannot afford to fail."

"As do I gentlemen, as do I. However, my price of failure is far higher than yours. More is at stake than you can possibly imagine" Dooku told them, "Now; I will ask this one time you to leave. I will not ask again."

"Oh really?" Kisame asked with a wicked grin on his face, "What are you going to do if we don't?"

As Kisame said this, Itachi was beginning to lift Naruto off the ground…when he was launched backwards into a tree by an invisible force.

"Very well then" Dooku stated. The Count held out his hand and Naruto's body began to rise off of the ground and float towards Dooku until he was directly behind the Count.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" Kisame asked angrily.

"I do not _think_, creature, I _know_" the stated in a dark tone, losing his polite demeanor completely.

Kisame growled out, "Itachi, let me kill this bag of bones so we can get out of here!"

Itachi nodded, "Be careful Kisame" he warned, "He is far stronger than he looks."

Kisame grinned and brought out Samehada.

"Time for you to die old man!" Kisame said in a wicked tone.

"No creature…" the Count said as he pulled out a curved metal rod from within his cloak, he pressed a button on the rod and, with a loud hissing sound, a beam of red light shot out.

"…It is time for _you_ to die" the Count finished as he took up a stance, wielding the rod like a sword.

There was a moment of silence.

And then Kisame charged forward and swung Samehada down. The Count dodged to the right.

"My blade, Samehada, dosen't cut…it SHAVES!" Kisame said maliciously.

"Interesting, because my lightsaber _does_ cut..." Dooku said as he swung at Kisame who blocked the blow with his sword.

Something bizarre happened at that moment.

A loud shriek of pain was heard.

And it came from Samehada!

"What the fuck?" Kisame jumped back and saw the part of the sword that touched Dooku's blade had been burned.

"…_and_ burns" the Count finished. "Interesting, lightsabers can usually cut through almost anything, but your sword is resistant somehow. Curious…"

Dooku didn't have time to ponder further as Kisame lunged forward and resumed the battle.

Despite Kisame's size and strength, the old Count was able to keep up perfectly.

After clashing blades (with Samehada shrieking in pain every single time) for several minutes, Dooku launched his hand forward, sending Kisame flying into a tree. Kisame stood up.

"That's it! You are **dead**!" he shouted before performing various handsigns and shouting "**Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!**"

After these words were said a large amount of water spewed out of his mouth and rushed towards Dooku.

Dooku deactivated his lightsaber, held out his hands…and the water stopped!

"What the…? How did you…?" Kisame shouted in surprise.

Before he could finish, Dooku spoke, "Tell me, creature" he asked, "do you know what happens when water comes into contact with electricity?"

Dooku smirked as lightning shot of his finger tips and traveled up the water towards Kisame.

Kisame leapt out of the way just in time.

Upon landing Kisame looked around…only to find his attacker had disappeared.

"Show yourself coward!" Kisame demanded.

…only to hear a hissing sound as a red blade of energy pierced through his chest from behind.

"As you wish" Dooku said calmly before pulling out his blade.

Kisame stumbled forward with a look of shock on his face before falling to his knees and then onto his face.

Itachi was shocked. This old man had just killed Kisame Hoshigaki, the "Monster of the Hidden Mist", and one of the most powerful members of the Akatuki!

Even more shocking, he made it look effortless!

Dooku casually adjusted his cloak and brushed off his sleeves.

"How undignified" he said before looking up at Itachi.

"I suggest you leave now while I still feel merciful" Dooku warned the rogue Uchiha.

"…I can't" Itachi explained.

"Then you will **die**" Dooku said simply before unleashing a torrent of lighting that the Uchiha was barely able to dodge.

Itachi knew he wouldn't be able to take this man on by conventional means…but perhaps he could use genjutsu to stun the Count long enough to finish him off.

Yes, that could work!

He looked the Count in the eyes and saw him clutch his head slightly as if in discomfort.

Itachi lunged forward while forming hand signs...but the old man suddenly overcame the genjutsu and swung his blade at the Uchiha.

Itachi pulled back from the lethal blow, but received a large cut on his face that stretched from his forehead diagonally down towards his jaw line. It just barely missed his eyes.

"Illusions of any kind are useless against a Sith Lord" Dooku explained before reaching out with his hand.

Itachi suddenly felt an invisible force lift him into the air by his throat and begin to choke him.

"Now your ignorance will cost you your life" the Count said as he tightened his grip.

Itachi felt himself dying and had to do something.

He tried to look Dooku the eyes but was unable to, so he couldn't use Tsukuyomi.

He just needed a distraction.

He looked at a tree behind Dooku and focused on it.

Dooku was watching the life fade from the foolish Uchiha's eyes when he heard a strange sound from behind him. He turned around to find a nearby tree was on fire. The strange thing was the fire…was black.

Dooku's distraction freed Itachi from his grip and the Uchiha used this moment and fled as fast as he could.

He knew Pain and Madara would be furious with this but he had to flee.

He couldn't die now, no matter what.

Dooku turned toward his captive…only to find him gone.

The Count felt foolish for letting himself become distracted before mentally shrugging.

It didn't matter.

He got what he came for.

He looked down at the barely living boy.

'Let's hope you are worth all this trouble' he thought to himself.

Dooku reached into his cloak and pulled out a small disc shaped object. He pressed down on it and a small, blue figure appeared on the disc.

"This is Count Dooku. Send a ship and a medical team to my location at once."

The Count looked down at the boy's body and smirked.

"I have him."

**Flashback End**

_It was several days before I awoke, but when I did, it was the beginning of my new life._

**Flashback**

Naruto awoke to the sound of a steady beeping noise and muffled voices, like he was underwater.

Come to think of it, _felt_ like he was underwater.

Wait…how the _hell_ was he still alive?

He knew he was alive, because he felt the occasional searing pain coming from his burned body, though the liquid he was submerged in stopped the pain as quickly as it had arrived.

"The subject is stable for now, sir, despite the need for hourly blood transfusions" he heard a droning, almost mechanical voice, speak. The voice sounded as if it was being annoyed or as if it had performed it's job too many times to have any interest.

"Can he be salvaged?" he heard another voice ask. It sounded wise and…regal?

Was that the right word?

Yes, he believed it was.

It, nevertheless, sounded concerned.

"I believe so sir. The limbs are too badly damaged to repair and will require complete amputation. Also, several redundant organs will need to be removed in order to proceed" the mechanical voice explained.

Naruto was wondering what they were talking about.

"When will he regain consciousness?" the wise voice asked.

"I'm not entirely sure, it may take several more days. Frankly, I'm amazed he's still alive after…wait…I'm seeing increased signs in brain activity. Sir…I think he's conscious" The mechanical voice stated in a shocked tone.

Naruto now knew the discussion was about him.

"He can hear us?"

"Yes sir I believe so."

"Then leave us."

After a few seonds of silence, Naruto heard the tapping of glass.

"Hello in there. Can you hear me?" the regal voice asked.

Naruto finally decided to open his eyes.

He saw that he was indeed submerged in some form of liquid inside what appeared to be a glass container. He saw that he had several tubes sticking out of him and he had some sort of mask on his face that provided him with air.

Looking around, he saw the source of the voice, an old man wearing regal attire and with white hair and a white beard looking him directly in the eyes.

"Where am I?" Naruto asked in an emotionless tone.

Wait…he could talk while underwater?

The bearded man smiled, "You are undergoing treatment in a hidden medical facility, far from your world."

Naurto was confused; far from his world?

"I sense your confusion" the man said, answering his unspoken question, "but it is as I said, we are no longer on your planet."

Naruto should have been amazed, but…he wasn't. He believed what this stranger had said and yet he felt nothing.

Nothing except pain.

The pain of being betrayed by those he loved.

The pain of losing someone who loved him.

"Who are you and how am I still alive?" Naruto asked, changing the subject.

"My name is Dooku, Count Dooku, and you are only alive because of my intervention" the old man now known as Dooku explained with a kind smile on his face.

"Why?" Naruto asked in a pained, pitiful voice, "Why did you save me? Why didn't you just let me die?"

Dooku frowned at this; it sounded like this mutilated boy was…disappointed.

Like he _wanted_ to die.

"I'm…afraid I don't quite understand" Dooku responded after a moment of silence.

"What is there to understand?" Naruto asked, "My life is hell, every moment of it has been since birth. I have withstood nearly thirteen years of nearly unending physical and mental torture, and just when I thought I had found acceptance, everyone I cared about betrayed me and the person I cared about most was murdered right in front of me!" Naruto said angrily.

"I understand but-" Dooku said before being interrupted.

"No, you don't. You understand _nothing_!" Naruto said venomously, "Kill me or don't but do not waste my time with empty words."

Dooku was barely able to control his anger; this _child_ was talking back to _him_! The Sith Lord shook his mind free of such thoughts. He needed to get on this boy's good side. The aged Count resumed his kind façade.

"Surely there must be some reason to continue living" the Count said kindly, "Something to keep you going. To give you…hope."

Naruto thought for a moment, "There are…some who didn't betray me, but…I can never go back. The villagers will kill me. Besides how can I return like this? I'm barely alive" Naruto pointed.

Dooku smirked as he came up with an idea to make this boy see things his way, "Do you want vengeance on your so called 'friends'?" the Count asked.

Naruto answered without hesitation, "Yes" in a dark tone.

Dooku's smirk grew, "In that case I have a proposition for you, if you are willing to listen" he told the mutilated blonde.

"Do I have a choice?"

The Count ignored that and continued, "You asked me why I rescued you. The answer is...complicated" he said before continuing, "You see, I experienced a vision through the Force that-"

"The what?" Naruto asked, interrupting the Count.

"Ah yes, I forgot that your world is unfamiliar with the Force" the Count realized, "You see, the Force is an energy source that exists and flows through everyone and everything in the universe. Those who have a deep connection to the Force can utilize it in various ways to accomplish seemingly impossible feats, including, though not limited to, seeing visions of things to come."

Naruto was listening as intently as a horribly burned and emotionally dead human being could; this "Force" energy sounded a lot like Chakra.

Dooku sensed the boy's interest and continued, "This particular vision told me that a boy from an uncharted world would rise up and become the perfect warrior, an unstoppable killing machine that would strike fear into the hearts of even the bravest of souls."

"And you think this warrior…is _me_?" Naruto asked, bewildered, while catching on to what the old man was implying.

Dooku smiled, "I do not _think_, I _know_" he told the blonde boy floating in front of him, "Through the vision I saw that the boy in question had bright blonde hair, three marks on either side of his face, and wore bright orange. Sound familiar?"

Naruto was unsure what to think at that moment.

The Count continued, "Both myself and some…acquaintances of mine believe that a warrior of this caliber could prove useful to our future goals. I arrived on your world on the very day of your…sentencing. Sadly, I was too late to stop the ignorant savages that attempted to kill you, nor could I save the young girl who died trying to save you" Naruto flinched badly at being reminded of Hinata's sacrifice. "After some…complications, I retrieved your body and brought you to this medical facility and, more than a week later, here we are" Dooku explained.

Naruto thought for a moment, "Okay…" he finally said, "Let's pretend for a moment I believe _anything_ you are saying. How can I become the 'Perfect Warrior' stuck inside this tube?" Naruto asked.

The Count frowned slightly, "Well, you see, that is the problem. The damage your body has sustained is beyond repair, I cannot make you what you once were" Naruto was about so speak again when Dooku interrupted him, "However…I _can_ make you even better."

"How?"

Dooku smirked, "We rebuild you. Take what can be saved and place it inside a new, mechanical frame. You will become both man and machine: a cyborg. Your mechanical body will give you enhanced strength, speed, and durability. Without the need to eat or sleep you can fight for days, even weeks, without tiring. You will be the perfect soldier, ruthless, relentless, and completely unstoppable…provided you are trained properly."

Naruto was intrigued, "And who will train me?" he asked.

The ex-Jedi smirked, "Myself of course" he explained like it was the simplest thing in the universe.

Naruto resisted the urge to snort at his words, "You? The last time I trusted an old man with my future he tried to turn me into a slave."

Dooku frowned and reached out with his hand. Naruto suddenly felt his throat tighten as it was crushed by an unknown force.

"_Do not_ compare me to the primitive savages of your homeworld _boy_" the Count said in a dark tone before releasing the blonde who began gasping for air through his life support. The Count anger subsided and he smirked, "Of course I realize words will do little to convince you of my intentions. Perhaps the tale of what happened when I found you is in order. Before I brought you here I encountered some…interesting individuals who seemed to know you" Dooku began.

By this time Naruto had caught his breath and was listening, "You'll have to be more specific. I know a _lot_ of interesting people" Naruto told the old man who could easily kill him.

"There were two of them; one was a dark-haired young man with red eyes. The other was a giant creature with blue skin, razor sharp teeth, and wielded a large sword wrapped in cloth. Both wore black cloaks with red clouds imprinted on them" Dooku explained.

Naruto's eyes widened, he knew who the Count was talking about.

The aged Count smirked, "Judging from your expression, I take it you are familiar with them."

Naruto stared at the Count for a moment before answering, "The one with red eyes is Itachi Uchiha and the blue skinned giant is Kisame Hoshigaki. Both are skilled mass murderers and criminals" He said. He knew what Itachi had done and the Toad Sage (Naruto refused to call him by his name) had told him about Kisame.

"I see" Dooku said, "Then the blue one will not be mourned now that he is dead."

Naruto's eyes widened more than before, "He's dead?" he asked, shocked.

"By my hand" Dooku told the severely burned boy, "They had been looking for you the just as I had. For what reasons, I do not know, although I sensed they intended you harm. I intervened and gave them a chance to leave with their lives. They, of course, refused and the blue one attacked me. On your world, he and his compatriot would be regarded as powerful warrior's, but compared to me they were nothing" the Count told Naruto before clearing his throat, "As I was saying, the blue creature put up an admirable fight, but he fell quickly despite his skill. The man with red eyes attacked me then, attempting to cast some sort of illusion to disorient me, I overcame it and was able to scar his face with my blade before strangling him with the Force just as I used it against you just moments ago. Unfortunately, he managed to create a distraction that broke my concentration and allowed him to escape. After that I brought you here and, well, you know the rest. Does that satisfy your curiosity?" the Count asked with a smile.

Naruto said nothing for a few seconds and then nodded, "Yes. I…I don't know why, but I believe you."

Dooku's smile grew, "Excellent. Now it is time to choose, if you agree to join me and my cause, I will save your life and rebuild you to be the perfect warrior. Afterward, I will train you in all that I know. In time, you will become strong enough to take your revenge. However, if you refuse, I will cut off your life-support here and now and you will die, and the girl who died to save you will have died for nothing."

After the Count gave his ultimatum, Naruto closed his eyes in thought.

He could say no. Death seemed very tempting considering all the emotional and physical pain that had been inflicted upon him.

But this "Count Dooku" had a point.

If he died, those that betrayed him and killed Hinata would live unpunished, never getting what was coming to them.

That was unacceptable.

Naruto made his decision but decided to ask what he was getting into.

"What is your 'cause'?" He asked.

Dooku smirked, "War. My associates and I will be leading a campaign for independence against the Galactic Republic, the center of government for most of the civilized galaxy. I am confident that, with you on our side, victory we be much easier to obtain. However, the war is still being planned and it will be some time before we can act upon it. It is during that time that I will be instructing you" he explained, "My deal is simple; accept my training and join my cause. When your training is complete and the war is won, you may return to your homeworld and do whatever you see fit with it. Now…do we have an accord?" Dooku asked.

Naruto thought for a moment before answering, "Very well, Count, I will accept your training and join your cause, but I have a few conditions" Naruto told the old man.

Dooku's smile turned into a look of seriousness, "Such as?" he prompted.

"First, I don't want my mind altered in any way. There are countless people on my world that would jump at the opportunity to reprogram me into becoming a mindless weapon. Second, you told me much of me was going to be replaced correct?" Naruto asked, Dooku nodded, "Does that include my eyes?" The Count shook his head at the bizarre question, "Good, because I want to keep them" Naruto explained.

"May I ask why?" Dooku asked, puzzled by this.

"When a take my vengeance, when I kill those responsible for my suffering, when I look them in the eyes, I want them to look into the eyes of the person they tormented and betrayed, not someone else's. Finally, I want to look **nothing** like my former self. I want to be remade into something different, something that strikes fear into the hearts of others with just a glance. I want to be what the people of my former home always saw me as."

"And that would be?"

"A _monster_" Naruto said, emphasizing the last world.

Dooku was taken aback by this last demand. While searching for the boy in his vision he had read the weak minds of the people in the village and knew why the people there hated him, but to call him a monster? Surely, even the simplest of minds could tell the difference between a child and a sixty story monster.

Dooku pondered this for a moment before nodding.

"Very well. I accept your terms" Dooku told the mutilated child.

Naruto nodded.

"Then heal me."

Dooku smiled, "Of course, but the process will take several months and you will be unconscious during that time" he explained.

"Then get started" Naruto told him bluntly.

"As you wish" the Count said before pushing a button on the console of the tank.

Naruto felt something being fed into the tubes connected to his body. He began to feel drowsy.

"When next you wake, you will begin your new life" he heard Count Dooku say.

Then the blackness took him.

**Six Months Later:**

It seemed like only a few moments had passed since he agreed to Count Dooku's proposition, and yet Naruto awoke knowing that it had been much longer.

He hadn't opened his eyes yet, he was listening to his surroundings.

He heard voices speaking nearby, but wasn't listening to them. He was listening to a deep, rasping sound. It was a sound unlike any he had ever heard before, comparable only to the time he met the Kyuubi and heard the beast's deep breathing through the darkness of the cage it was locked in.

Both sounds were frightening.

Naruto took a deep breath and heard the sound do the same. He let out his breathe and heard the sound sigh out as well.

Naruto then realized that the sound was _his_ breathing!

The blonde demon container decided to open his, eyes only to gasp at what he saw.

Everything was so clear! He could almost count the number of dust particles in the air around him.

His gaze was obstructed as the form of Count Dooku looked down at him.

"Welcome back my friend" Dooku greeted warmly with that same kind smile on his face.

Naruto said nothing but decided to get up. He lifted himself up from the table he was lying on and climbed off of it. He heard his feet hit the ground with a loud _clunk_ and he stumbled for a moment.

"Careful now" Dooku warned, "It will take quite some time to get used to your new body."

Naruto ignored the old man and stood up straight. He felt _much_ taller than before and looked at the Count and saw that he literally _towered_ over him. He guessed that his height was far greater than anyone in his former home or anyone he had ever met.

During the time he had gotten up he realized he didn't feel stiff or sore from being unconscious and immobile for such a long time.

In fact, he didn't feel anything his body should have felt.

Slowly, Naruto raised his hands in front of his face. His eyes widened at what he saw.

Instead of flesh, he saw metal. His arms were a dark grey color and partially covered a white plating extending down his forearms. He flexed his fingers and found he could move them like they were ordinary flesh. Something felt off about the move, though, so he did it again, looking carefully.

This time he saw what was wrong: instead of five fingers, he had six!

He looked at his other hand and saw six fingers there as well.

Naruto scratched his head, something he did normally when confused, and felt no hair on his head. He moved his hand slowly down his face and felt something wrong.

His face seemed longer and…narrower.

"I need a mirror" he said, his first words since he first woke up.

Naruto was barely able to hide his shock at the sound of his voice.

Instead of the high pitched, infuriatingly childish voice he had before, his voice was deeper, rougher, and more metallic. His old voice had been annoying, high-pitched, and impossible to take seriously; but this voice? It commanded respect and fear in those around him, a voice that said "do as I say or die".

Dooku frowned, "I'm not sure that's such a good idea" he explained, "The medic's said the shock of your appearance alone would-"

"_Now_" Naruto growled out angrily, glaring at the Count.

Dooku looked angry for a moment but relented; "As you wish" he said as he reached out with his hand and jerked it to the right.

The instant he did this, a set of large full bodied mirrors (formerly facing the wall) twirled to face then.

Naruto looked at his reflection and was unable to stifle his gasp.

Just as Count Dooku had agreed, he had been remade to look nothing like his former self.

The changes were still difficult to believe.

He was completely metallic now, from head to toe in white armor with the dark grey hidden behind the plates.

Naruto began to evaluate and size himself up.

He started at his feet. They were larger than before and bared no resemblance to those found on a human. Instead of toes, he had two metal extensions that extended forward and ended in a pair of wicked looking talons. The arch and the edge of the heel also had two smaller digits, one on either side that seemed to provide balance. Experimenting, Naruto tried the move where his toes should have been, and found, to his amazement, that the talons curled under him. The steel floor made an ear splitting screeching sound as his talons scratched the floor and, when he moved his foot, he saw deep claw marks where he had stood.

Next, he moved up to his legs and waist. The legs seemed powerful and he could probably jump quite a distance or deliver one hell of a kick. His waist seemed almost comical; it was very narrow and looked as though it could barely hold up his massive torso.

Speaking of which, he saw noticed he had had gaps in the armor plating that seemed to be hiding something. He hands up and started to pry them apart to see what was inside.

"Stop!" Dooku shouted, confusing the boy-turned-cyborg, "Your chest plates are covering the synthetic substance that houses what is left of your internal organs, a will placed hit could puncture it. You must keep it covered and protected at all times. The armor will protect you against most infantry based blaster fire" he explained in a much calmer tone.

Naruto nodded, he understood the importance of it now. He didn't want to die at the hands of such a simple weapon.

He then froze for a moment; how the hell did he know what a blaster was? Come to think of it, he suddenly realized his mind was flooded with things he didn't even know about!

"I sense your confusion" the Count told him, "You see, I thought it would be best to get the basics of the civilized galaxy out of the way, so I had subliminal messages planted into your mind while you slept. I know you said that you didn't want your mind to be altered but I felt that this would save us some time. We needn't waste time on the trivial matters and get started on the important aspects of your training. Every major detail concerning galactic affairs is now imprinted into your mind."

Naruto growled before nodding; he was not exactly happy his mind had been tampered with, but realized there was no point in arguing the point.

He then examined his arms. He had seen them before but the mirror showed the full picture, his shoulders were broad and, like the rest of him, covered in white armor plating. He looked as though he could crush anything in his hands.

Getting an idea, he turned back towards the table he had been lying on. Naruto raised his arm and brought it down on the strong, metallic table. The effect surprised even him. The table buckled under his blow and bent completely in half all the way to the floor.

"Oh good" he heard a mechanical voice say sarcastically, "Yet _another_ addition to the to the ever-growing list of things in need of repair."

Naruto turned toward the sound of the voice and saw it's owner standing behind Count Dooku. The information in his mind told him it was a medical droid of some kind, with six arms on it's body; two were where a humans arms would be, two much smaller arms were attached just underneath it's torso, and two more, much longer arms folded behind it's back that seemed to be able reach over the droids shoulders. It also seemed to have a monocle-like sensor on the right side of it's face.

If he had to guess, Naruto figured this droid had been modified to heal and repair.

He also recognized it's voice, it was the same voice that he heard while in the Bacta Tank, talking to Dooku about his condition.

"And who are you?" Naruto asked the droid.

"Ah of course, allow me to introduce myself" the droid said and made a noise that sounded like it was clearing it's non-existent throat before continuing, "I am EV-A4-D. I am an EV class supervisor droid, modified with extensive medical knowledge on how to treat over 10,000 injuries and illnesses and can treat over 20,000 sentient species with more efficiency than any organic. I've also been modified to perform repair services both simple and complex" the now named EV-A4-D said with an _enormous_ amount of pride, "I've been assigned by Count Dooku to be your personal medic and repair-droid."

Naruto looked at the Count, who nodded, and then back to EV-A4-D.

"I know your voice" he said, "you were there when I first regained consciousness in the Bacta Tank" he said in a voice that almost sounded like an accusation.

"Indeed I did, I supervised your recovery and reconstruction and performed a great deal of both myself" EV-A4-D said with more pride in it's voice, "Hopefully we can avoid similar injuries in the future."

Naruto decided to ignore that last remark and looked back at the set of mirrors.

He proceeded to examine the final, and most shocking, change to his body: his head and face.

His head was no longer shaped like that of a human. At best, his head and face made him look like a ferocious monster. At worst it looked like a spray nozzle seen from above (**This is actually the original inspiration for Grievous's head**)!

Naruto decided the former as he examined his face upon seeing the wedge-shaped, "ears" of either side of his head.

It seemed what was left of his head and face was being covered by a mask of some kind. A quick study made it seem as if it were fused to his face.

He briefly thought about trying to remove it, but decided against it. It would probably make the Count unhappy again.

That and he probably didn't want to see what lay behind it.

Naruto decided to further study his head and face.

The bottom of his mask/face had three thick, vertical lines that, upon closer inspection, seemed to be small speakers of some kind. He guessed this was how he was able to talk and where his new voice came from.

Below that, were two pointed "teeth", but no mouth. He was about to ask how he would eat, before remembering what Dooku had told him while he was in the tank.

_**Your mechanical body will give you enhanced strength, speed, and durability. Without the need to eat or sleep you can fight for days, even weeks, without tiring.**_

He wouldn't have to eat _or_ sleep ever again. That didn't bother him as much as he thought it would.

The only food he truly enjoyed eating was the ramen from the Ichiraku Ramen Stand. He would miss that, but Ayame and Teuchi were more important to him than they're ramen was.

No more sleeping? Perfect. He would probably have nightmares about what had happened and relive the event over and over again.

He could do without that.

Besides, the removal of the need to eat or sleep allowed him more time to train and become stronger, strong enough to unleash his wrath against the people he had once vowed to protect.

Naruto continued to study his new face…only to stop when he saw his eyes.

They were now yellow colored with a reptilian look to them.

These were **not** his eyes.

Dooku tricked him!

"What is the meaning of this?!" Naruto asked/shouted angrily at the Count and droid.

The aged Count seemed confused, "I don't know what you-"

"MY EYES!" Naruto shouted at him, "I told you I wanted to keep my eyes and you replaced them! Explain this, NOW!"

The Count was inwardly startled by the boy-turned-cyborg's anger, but retained his composure.

"I did not replace them" Dooku told him, "I merely had them enhanced so that they could be more intimidating. That was, after all, what you asked for was it not?"

Naruto was skeptical. Dooku sensed this and continued.

"If you don't believe me why don't you ask the good doctor here?" the Count said gesturing to EV-A4-D.

"It's true master" the droid said. Naruto was surprised the droid had called him "master". EV-A4-D continued "Count Dooku gave specific instructions not to replace your eyes, which I originally had intended to do and replace them with more advanced combat droid photoreceptors. With that option removed, I decided to enhance your vision with some of the most advanced ocular implants in the galaxy. Your vision is abnormally clear isn't it?" the med/repair droid asked.

Naruto realized that the implants were the reason everything seemed more clear and defined.

He nodded.

"That is due to the implants. Now, the reason your eyes look different is because, well, I find it very hard to believe that anyone will find a pair of childish, bright blue eyes intimidating, wouldn't you agree?" the droid asked.

Naruto had to, begrudgingly, agree. This change made him far more intimidating, more...monstrous.

He then resumed studying his new body.

After several more minutes, Dooku decided to speak.

"Does this new form meet your approval?" the old count asked.

After several seconds, Naruto turned around and faced the two.

"It is...adequate" he answered.

Dooku seemed satisfied with his answer. EV-A4-D, on the other hand, was grumbling under its non-existent breath about, "ungrateful children who don't appreciate quality craftsmanship."

"When do we begin training" Naruto asked, eager to become powerful enough to slaughter the inhabitants of his former home.

"Soon" Dooku assured him, "Once you become accustomed to your new body, we will begin. However, there has been an unfortunate...complication" the old count said.

"What is it?"

"I'm afraid that the physical and mental trauma you've endured has...cut you off from the Force" Dooku said with a tone of regret in his voice.

"What?!" Naruto asked, "Then how are you going to train me?!" he demanded.

"Calm yourself" Dooku ordered, "Just because you cannot use the Force does not mean you cannot fight like those who do" he explained before smiling.

"Which reminds me, I have a gift for you."

Dooku looked at EV-A4-D and snapped his fingers.

The droid walked over to a nearby table and picked up a small box before walking back to the count and handing it to him.

Dooku then held out the box the Naruto.

"This once belonged to an old and very dear friend of mine, a Jedi Master named Sifo-Dyas" the count told him before opening the box. Inside was a small, cylindrical rod.

A lightsaber, the iconic the of both the jedi and the sith.

Naruto picked up the weapon and balanced it in his hand. He had never used any type of sword or any other type of bladed weapon except kunai or shuriken.

Yet, for some reason, it felt...right, holding this weapon, like it belonged there.

"I also managed to take this from your home" Dooku told him before reaching into his cape and taking out a small frame.

Naruto took it from him. It was a photo. In it was a picture of himself with Hinata. In the picture, he had his arm wrapped around her shoulder, wearing a goofy grin at the camera and holding his index and middle finger of his other hand in a symbol for victory. Hinata was blushing furiously and smiling back at the camera.

Naruto felt a sting in his heart as he remembered when this picture was taken: it was the day after he had beaten Mizuki and graduated. Iruka had invited him an Hinata to Ichiraku's to celebrate their graduation. Iruka had been the one to take the picture.

"Sadly, the remainder of your possessions were destroyed when the savages of your former home set fire to your apartment. That was all I could save."

"It is enough" Naruto assured him while staring at the picture.

Dooku smiled a kind smile, "I thought it would help keep you focused on what you are fighting for...Naruto."

Naruto stiffened at the name.

"What did you say?" he asked quietly.

Dooku frowned, "Naruto" he told him, "That is your name, isn't it?"

Naruto looked up at himself in the mirror and, after a few moments, answered.

"Not anymore."

Dooku raised an eyebrow in confusion, "What would you have me call you then?" he asked.

Naruto looked at the lightsaber in his hand for a moment.

He then activated it.

A blue beam of energy sprang from the cylinder. He stared at it for a moment before giving it a few experimental swings.

He stared at the blade.

"...Grievous" he answered, "My name is Grievous."

**And so it begins and a legend is born.**

**Just so you guys know, this story will not be updated for quite some time.**


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